The Thousand Year Moonrise (A MLP: FiM fanfic)
by EmbarrGuardian32
Summary: I've lived a thousand years with no answers to my questions. I've seen my friends die around me, so when a voice in my dreams tells me that they will be answered and sends me to a strange world called Equus, will I finally learn of my origins? Full description in intro. Rated for minor violence
1. Intro

p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 30.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #555555; background-color: #ededed;"For close to 1,000 years, I've come to call Earth my home. I've traveled with my companions -humans and animal alike- all over Europe and North America. I've been the guardian of gypsy children, an enslaved family's ray of hope, and a disabled girl's therapist. I've seen horrific acts of nature that don't harm me, but have taken my loved ones away from me one by one. To say my life has been that of pain and heartbreak is an understatement, but I would never change it./p  
p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 30.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #555555; background-color: #ededed;"One day, a being of pure light comes to me in a dream, telling me that the questions that have haunted me since the day I came into the world can be answered. With a heavy heart, I leave my home and am transported to a strange country called Equestria, where I quickly discover that its main inhabitants are colorful equine! The voice in my dreams tells me to find them if I want answers, but I have no idea where to look for them or what they even look like! What have I gotten myself into?/p  
p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 30.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #555555; background-color: #ededed;"XXXXX/p  
p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 30.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #555555; background-color: #ededed;"strongWARNING: The first several chapter do NOT take place in the world of MLP. If you don't like, don't read!/strong/p 


	2. Prologue

A horrific rainstorm can keep anyone's thoughts focused on other matters; keeping dry, warm, and sheltered. Which was exactly what one pony had hoped for as she raced through a dark forest. Her horn was aglow from just beneath the hood of her cloak, creating a barrier around her to shield her and the basket she carried in her mouth from the rain.

Lightning shot across the sky like a whip, thunder shook the very earth itself, the winds tore through tree branches without mercy and the rain pelted the ground, determined to turn the dirt path into a muddy river. However, this did deter the pony as she stayed alert to any alarm of danger while still keeping a firm footing on the road.

She soon came to a small cliffside, a cave not too far below. The pony rushed down the carved stone stairs and rushed into the cave, letting down the shield once she was out of the rain completely.

Just slightly further into the cave, a gigantic tree that seemed to be made of crystal could be seen. On the trunk, a moon and sun were carved near the base, a large starburst shape above it. Five separate branches stretched out around the starburst, a stone on each end that had a hollow hole in each of them as though something was once in them but had since been removed.

Ever so gently, the pony set down her basket, then looked up at the magnificent tree. "O, great Tree of Harmony. The great powers that thee possesses is known throughout the great land of Equestria, and thy request of your assistance. An epic clash between the Sun and Moon will soon take place, forever chancing Equestria as we know it. Thy fear that thy one and only child will be caught in this fated confrontation, which is why thy has come to thee." Tears fell from beneath the hooded individual. "Thy beg of thee; use the powers bestowed upon thee and send thy child somewhere safe, where she may grow happy and healthy. Thy will lend thee all the magic in thy body if that is what is needed, so please; won't thee answer thy prayer?"

For several moments, nothing happened. However, the pony stood firm, never letting her eyes off the tree. Another crack of thunder shook the ground once more, causing the basket to rock slightly, followed by the crying of a child. The wailing immediately brought the mare's attention to her cargo and she removed her sights from the strange tree. At the same time, the sun and moon carvings slowly began to glow.

The cloaked mare lifted the blanket covering the basket to reveal a tiny unicorn foal, swaddled in another blanket and crying for attention. She opened her small, turquoise eyes and, seeing her mother, lowered her crying to a whimper.

The mother smiled from beneath her hood as her horn lit once more, the same light surrounding the foal and lifting her into the air. The infant was now giggling as her mother nuzzled her affectionately. "Thy sweet daughter, thy hope that thee may one day forgive thy for being so selfish," the larger of the two whispered, unaware of the growing brightness of the tree. "Thee does not deserve to grow up in a world of conflict, and as a mother, one must protect her offspring."

The starburst carving suddenly exploded light, bringing the older unicorn's eyes back to it.

_"I have heard your prayers,"_ a soft voice that came from the tree answered. _"You have shown me the devotion and love of a mother, so I will grant your request. However, as you may have already foreseen, this upcoming conflict between the light and the shadows will not simply pass over in the course of a few years. The world will become unbalanced and will need my power. I can send your child to a safer world that has equine like yourself, but her appearance may change slightly and she will be in a deep sleep until balance is restored. She will live and grow, but her powers and memories will be sealed and the experience will be equivalent to living with immortality. Your daughter will see her friends die as she continues to stay young and will have no answers to her questions until the Elements of Harmony return to me. Only then will she be able to come home. Even so, do you accept these conditions and the consequences that come with them?"_

The pony looked down at her daughter once more, smiling as the infant reached out her hooves to have the warmth of her mother returned. The older nodded her head as she looked back at the tree. "Thy will do what thy must to insure the safety of thy daughter."

_"Very well,"_ the tree replied. _"Lend me your magic and I will grant your request."_

The mare nodded once more, then closed her eyes and called upon the powerful magic buried deep inside her. The horn atop her head shined brilliantly once more, causing the light of the tree as well as that of which surrounded the foal to glow brighter as well.

When she saw that the light was pulling her away from her mother, the child began crying once more.

_"Be still, little one,"_ the tree said softly. _"Rest now, and when you awake, your life will start anew."_

The foal suddenly felt sleepy and she struggled to keep her eyes open. However, her attempt was in vain and she slowly fell asleep.

The light around the child intensified greatly to the point of blinding. The mother just watched as it grew and grew, until suddenly, it shot off out of the cave. She rushed after it and started as it disappeared into the now clear night sky, twinkling like a star.

Tears escaped the mare once more as she quietly said to the sky "Goodbye, my dear Moon Rose. May you be safe and happy."


	3. Message From a Dream

_**Colorado Mountains, Present Day**_

Diana. That is the name I was given when I arrived on this ranch three years ago. I was purchased by a kind middle-aged man at a county fair and brought to the 5-acre property. Never before had I set my eyes upon such a beautiful landscape as the Colorado Mountains, but it wasn't the snow-capped mountains or crystal clear lakes that I adored about my new home.

It was the sweet girl that gave me the name that depicts the Greek god of the moon, that I adored.

I remember the day we met as though it were just yesterday. Faith was just a depressed, lonely 15-year-old; she and her parents had been in a car accident a year before. She was the only survivor, but she lost the ability to move her legs. Her grandparents took her away from the city and brought her to their farm out in the country-side. They had tried everything to raise Faith's spirits, but she remained isolated, detached from the outside world.

That's where I came in. Apparently, before her accident, Faith had been an incredible equestrian, excelling in dressage and show jumping. Her previous horse had been sold in order to pay for her medical bills and parents' funeral, her relatives snatching away her inheritance from right under her. Faith's grandparents hoped that by bringing horses back into her life, Faith would recover and try to have as normal a life as was possible.

When my eyes first set upon the girl in the wheelchair that warm, summer day, I could tell she had been through a lot; her eyes clouded, head bowed, skin pale. However, when Faith _did_ raise her head and bring her eyes to me, her whole demeanor changed in a flash. Her silver-grey eyes lit up, her skin brightened, and her mouth opened in a perfect 'o' shape. She then placed her hands over her mouth and began to cry, letting out tears that she had held back for oh so long and hugging her grandmother, who stood at her side.

The grandparents hired a special trainer and worked with me to become a therapy horse. Maybe it was my want to be there for Faith and help her heal that helped me speed through the training. Whatever the reason, within a few months, Faith was riding once more and we became the perfect team. We would travel in the summer across the country, competing and sharing Faith's story wherever and whenever we could. It was just recently that Faith was offered an opportunity to audition to compete in the next Paralympics, which is to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016.

And now, I closed my eyes as I let the soft breeze flow through my mane, tail, and coat. I knew it was a dream, for it was the middle of winter but the scene around me was that of summer, only at night. The grass was of the deepest green and flowers of white glowed in the moonlight. Crickets played their songs, playing a melody that was only known to them and creating a serene atmosphere.

I looked to the moon, something I have found myself doing in the last thousand years of my seemingly-immortal life. I've known of humans who have tried to find the secret to immortality, and I hope for their sake that they never find it. No being seems to understand the consequences of being immortal; you have to watch as your loved ones grow old and die while you remain the same, madness often taking hold. Even though my life hasn't been that of cupcakes and butterflies, I wouldn't say I've hated it. I've traveled all over western Europe and North America, meeting many different individuals along the way. I've been the guardian of two gypsy children, the ray of hope for a family of African American slaves, and currently the therapist of a heart-broken teenager. Legends and rumors have arisen following my journey, from The Gypsy's Jewel, to The Mare of Shadows, and The Miracle Horse. Yes, my life on Earth was hard, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

The wind suddenly picked up, and I brought my eyes back down to see, to my surprise, Faith, sitting on the edge of the large pond a few feet away, her wheelchair absent. Curiously, I walked over to her and nudged her lightly from behind.

Faith looked over her shoulder and her eyes grew wide upon seeing me. She reached up and pet my snout, a confused look on her face. "What are _you_ doing here, Diana? You've never visited me in _these_ dreams before."

_Wait. Does that mean that this isn't _my_ dream, but _Faith's_!?_ I thought to myself. I moved to Faith's left and settled down onto the grass, eyeing my caretaker and dear friend closely.

Faith only smiled and scratched me behind the ear, causing me to close my eyes in pleasure; she knew me so well. As she continued to motion, she started talking to me, something she often did after training. "You know, I use to come here all the time with my parents when I was little. My dad and I would swim in the pond while my mom watched nearby, always having a book in her hand. At night, we would lay out a blanket and look up at the stars, seeing if we could spot any constellations." She laughed slightly. "In reality, this place got torn up and a mall was built over it. I remember how upset I was, but I managed to return here in my dreams. Still, I wish I could go back there for real." She stopped her motion, and I looked to see tears starting to fall down her face, but I quickly nudged her cheek, wiping them away. That made her laugh once more and she hugged my neck. "At least I have you, Diana. You're such a good friend and listener."

I rested my head on her lap as she slowly ran her hand down my snout, humming to herself. I don't believe I've ever seen her so relaxed before. She truly seemed to be at peace there, and I wish it could have lasted longer.

However, it was not so, as a strong light started to radiate above us. We both looked up and saw the Moon shining brightly. The light then began to separate from it and float down to Earth.

Faith crawled onto my back and I slowly got to my feet, Faith hanging onto my neck as we watched the strange illumination touch down in the center of the pond, levitating just a few feet above the surface. I felt my caretaker squeeze my mane, her hands trembling slightly.

_"Do not be afraid, young ones,"_ a young male voice suddenly spoke, coming from the light. _"Step closer."_

I was unsure of what to do. I didn't wish to endanger Faith, even knowing that it was a dream. However, I felt Faith's hand stroke my neck softly, urging me forward. With great reluctance, I complied and took cautious steps into the water.

It felt warm on my skin, sweeping away my unease as I continued towards the light. One of Faith's hands let go of my mane and I heard her dip it into the water, sighing and losing the tense in her body. When we were before the light, the water had only gotten to the lower part of my shoulders. There was another slight splash as Faith moved her upper body so her legs were submerged on opposite sides of me.

_"Greetings, Diana and Faith,"_ the light said. _"I have longed to meet you both."_

"Who are you?" Faith asked timidly.

_"I am unable to answer that question, my dear child, but know that I am a friend. I have watched you for some time now, and been Diana's guardian since her arrival."_

_My guardian? _I asked myself._ What does he mean?_

_"Faith. From the moment you set eyes upon Diana, you knew there was something special about her, am I right?"_

I felt Faith nod. "Yeah. There was something about Diana that told me she had seen a lot in her life and wanted to share her experiences with someone." She stroked my neck once more.

The light bobbed, as if that was his way of nodding. _"Indeed. Diana has very much seen and experienced many things in her life. For you see, child, Diana is far older than what you and your grandparents believe."_

I felt my heart skip a beat. _Does this mean he knows that I'm immortal!?_

The light seemed to notice my shock, for he chuckled. _"Do not look so surprised, Diana. After all, I did say I've been your guardian since the day you came into this world, did I not?"_

"But then, why are you here?" Faith questioned.

The light, to my surprise, sighed. _"Faith, in order for you to understand my actions, you must know of Diana's story. Is that alright?"_ He seemed to be asking me, so I gave a slight nod, and he continued. _"Diana has been alive for well over a thousand years. She traveled Europe in her earlier years, looking for answers as to why she never grew old. At one time, she accompanied two young gypsy children while in France. She then went on to Spain and was brought here to The New World by Spanish conquerors. Later on, she helped several African Americans escape from slavery, befriending a particular family. After that, well, she found her way to_ you_."_

For several moments, Faith was silent. I wasn't quite sure how she would react, seeing as my life is a work of pure fiction. However, I _didn't_ expect her to break down crying and hug my neck tightly, soaking my dry withers and mane with her salty tears.

"I'm so sorry, Diana," Faith said, still crying. "It must have been so hard for you, wandering aimlessly and searching for answers that wouldn't come. If I had known, I would have helped you look."

_"You can still help, Faith,"_ the light stated.

Faith lifted her head, sniffling. "H-How?"

_Does he have the answers I seek?_ The thought was almost too overwhelming.

_"Listen. A thousand years ago, Diana's mother came to me, asking if I could protect her daughter and take her someplace safe. I agreed, and brought Diana here to Earth. Diana comes from another dimension that is unlike your world, so her form changed and her life became that of immortality. I promised to return Diana to her home only when balance is restored to her dimension and my powers are fully restored."_

"And that time has come?" Faith hiccuped.

The light tilted once more. _"However, I will not doing anything if Diana wishes to stay here. I will explain to her mother of Diana's decision, and will take away her immortality. She will live the rest of her life as a normal young mare would."_

All of this information came as a shock to me. My mother sent me away to protect me? What was it that I needed protecting from? Was she still alive? These questions all flashed through my mind, but then my current situation stopped them. I had Faith to look after. We were a team, and I wasn't about to break that up just so I could have a few silly questions I hadn't thought about in decades answered.

"You should go," Faith suddenly said, and I saw that she had gotten off my back at one point and saw her swimming with her arms in front of me. "You deserve to know where you come from. You shouldn't pass this up just because of me." She gave a warm smile. "I'll be okay, I promise. We'll visit each other in our dreams, alright?"

If I could cry, I very well would have. Faith was such a selfless human, one of the greatest I have ever met since my journey began. I dipped my head and allowed Faith to wrap her arms around my neck in a hug. _"I will never forget you, Faith,"_ I whinnied lowly.

"I won't ever forget you, either, Diana," Faith replied, seeming to understand my words.

_"It is time,"_ the light stated.

Faith and I looked to see the light rising up towards the sky once more, just as a similar aura surrounded me. I quickly pulled Faith back to land and nuzzled her one last time before I began to rise into the air. My eyes never left Faith as she waved goodbye, tears forming in her eyes once again.

"Don't forget to visit me!" She called. "I'll be here, waiting by the pond!"

I nodded as my chest ached. Just before I joined the light, I let out one final farewell before the radiance of the moon consumed me.


	4. Bonus Chapter 1: Gypsy Children

**Author's Note: You DO NOT need to read this chapter in order to understand the story. I just thought it would be kinda fun to write down the main character's experiences over the last 1,000 years. This chapter contains crossover material, but I didn't put the story in the crossover section of the site just because it's the only time there IS a crossover.**

**I DO NOT OWN MLP: FiM, DISNEY, OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS! THIS IS SIMPLY FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY!**

**REVIEW AND PLEASE NO FLAMES!**

**/**

_Some 400 years later…_

_Outskirts of Paris, France, 1482_

I awoke from my slumber to the sound of crackling fire and thuds. I lifted my head to see the gypsies begin to stir, the women making a quick breakfast and the men packing their wagons. While the older children helped with the cargo and cleaning up camp, the younger ones sat with their mothers, some still wiping the sleep from their eyes. Light was present in the sky, but dawn was still a good hour away. Before the sun would appear on the horizon, we would be long gone and on our way to the festival in the center of Paris.

"Good morning, Ani," a young girl's voice called.

I looked to the wagon that I was resting beside and saw one of my two caretakers hopping out of the wagon, biting into a bright red apple.

Just like her name suggests, Tsura was like the light of dawn, even on a cloudy day. She always seemed to have a smile on her face, which I quickly learned was contagious and often made the other gypsies we traveled with smile as well. Tsura was a sweet, innocent 12-year-old girl with slightly tanned skin, almond-colored eyes, and hair of oak-brown that curled at the tips and reached just past her shoulder blades. She possessed the gentlest touch and exotic dancing skills she had inherited from her mother.

I whinnied a small greeting and got to my feet, nuzzling the child lightly against her cheek, careful not to push her over.

Tsura laughed the most childish laugh as she stroked my cheeks back. When she backed away, she took one more bite of her breakfast, then offered me the rest of the luscious fruit, for which I greatly accepted.

"Tsura; hurry up and help me finish clearing camp."

Said girl and I both turned to see my other caretaker and Tsura's older brother. Mircea had a good-sized chest of polished birch wood on his shoulder as he eyed his sister with a disgruntled look.

To say Mircea was unkind would be a total lie, for he did have a sweet side that he would only show when alone with Tsura and I. The 18-year-old was of great height, inherited from his father. However, like his sister, his oak-brown hair and almond eyes he received from his mother. Although he possessed incredible strength, Mircea preferred to play music while his sister danced to it.

Tsura always told me that her brother just acted tough so his pride wouldn't suffer, but we both knew that it was more for the sake of our positions and safety in the gypsy band. The two children had lost their parents in a flood a week before I had come across the gypsies a year ago, so being in a community where they can trust others was vital.

I had stumbled upon the children by chance. It was a cold fall afternoon and I was roaming the forest for fresh water. The land had suffered nearly a week of nonstop rain and I had gotten tired of murky water puddles. The river had been filled with mud and debris, so I tried inland to try and find more drinkable water. The sight of two humans immediately caught my attention, even if seeing them trying to push their wagon out of a ditch wasn't noticeable enough as it was.

Let me explain. You see, I learned on that I wasn't a mortal horse, for I had stayed young as my past animal companions grew old and died around me. When it would become too much, I would try and end my life and join them, but any attempt I made was proven in vain and I would just wake up completely healed. The first few hundred years, I had developed a deep dislike of humans, particularly men. They had often been the cause of my friends' deaths if age didn't catch up to them first and often would try and capture me. However, as the decades passed, I started to see the _good_ in humans, and the innocence of children.

If I had seen Tsura and Mircea 200 years before, I would have walked away without a second thought, but that hadn't been the case. I felt a connection with the two gypsy kids; they didn't have anyone to look out for them, just like me. They had been abandoned and left to fend for themselves, a characteristic of humans I found horrific. No one deserves that.

So, I climbed down the hill and approached the children. Mircea immediately went on edge, seeing a possible wild animal so close. Tsura, on the other hoof, took a quick liking to me. I helped pull the cart out of the ditch, but didn't stick around. I kept my distance, but continued to watch over them for the next several days.

However, when I began to see that the children were being robbed, I left the security of the shadows and officially became a member of Tsura and Mircea's family. During the day, I pulled their small mobile home as we traveled across Europe. At night, I would watch over the young gypsies and their valuables. I guess you could say I became a sort of guard dog.

The thieves always came late at night, when everyone was asleep. They thought it was easy pickings and a horse would just be a bonus, but men have proven that they always underestimate us beings of nature. A whinny of alarm at first either sent the thieves packing or awaken the entire camp, but when that didn't work, a few good chomps and kicks got the message through. A month following my arrival, no thief came near our cart again and the band of gypsies came to respect us.

"Alright, I'm coming." Tsura stroked my cheek one more time, then skipped away to help her brother, humming as she did so.

As I watched my caretakers, I caught sight of a familiar young man that was not much older than Mircea. Loiza, as he was called, was helping his father load their wagon, an irritated look on his face.

You see, Loiza and his family had just recently joined our clan, having lost their previous one in a massacre. The previous night, I had caught Loiza trying to steal Tsura's sun amulet she inherited from her mother. My whinny instantly awoke the camp and Loiza's father gave his son a good beating after apologizing to my family and offering us a small bag of apples, one of which I could still taste on my tongue.

Loiza caught my eye and scowled, muttering a few words, "Demon horse" being perhaps the only clean word that he chose. I could only smile inside.

XXXXX

The festival was in full-swing by late morning. The courtyard was crowded with visitors and party-goers, most wearing masks and costumes. Children ran between the adults, laughing and playing with toys and eating different foods they had obtained. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.

In the weeks prior to what the humans called "The Feast of Fools," Tsura had been working on something special. When we arrived in the city to set up, she revealed an assortment of beads and fake gems she had collected. She braided them into my mane and tail, and tied strings of bells around my feet.

It took a little persuading, but Mircea eventually gave in to his sister's pleas and rode on my back while he played his instruments during the event. He was unbalanced on my back at first, but he eventually managed to steady himself and even began to enjoy himself, playing his ocarina in tune with Tsura's dancing and my bells.

Despite Tsura only being a child, men still tried to grab her at times, but Mircea and I managed to keep them at bay while still entertaining the crowd. There was one time, however, when both Mircea and I were cut off from Tsura and the group of old men began to make their move. Mircea was about to leap off my back to save his sister, but before he could, a young woman of semi-dark skin and beautiful black hair swept Tsura off her feet. The men suddenly backed away, and I looked down to see a small, gray goat butting his head against their legs with extreme force.

When the goat's eyes met mine, I bowed my head in thanks. He nodded and gave a call of acknowledgement before jumping onto the stage with the woman and Tsura. He pranced around the two, causing the bell around his neck to jingle.

Mircea eventually relaxed and continued with his playing, while I followed suit, keeping a closer eye on Tsura, who laughed and danced her heart out.

Not much longer after that, the five of us – Mircea, Tsura, the woman, her goat, and myself- managed to sneak away for a few minutes while the Master of Ceremonies, a strange jester whose name escapes me, kept the crowd occupied.

"You are lucky to have such a protective horse like yours," the woman stated. Placing a hand on her chest, she added "My name is Esmeralda, and this is my friend, Djali." She indicated to the goat at her feet.

I bowed my head once more to the goat Djali. _"I go by Ani. Pleasure to meet you."_

_"As it is you,"_ Djali replied.

"Thank you for looking out for my sister," Mircea stated. "My name is Mircea, and this is Tsura."

"This is our first festival in the city without our parents," Tsura put in. "They died in a flood two springs ago."

Esmeralda's face saddened. "I'm sorry to hear that, little one. I lost _my_ parents at a young age too."

"But you've got Djali, just like we got Ani." Tsura stroked my neck, twirling her fingers in my thick, sun-kissed black winter coat.

The young woman's gorgeous green eyes lit up at the sentence. "You are right. Djali is my guardian as Ani is yours. They look out for us and are there when we need them."

At that moment, a young gypsy boy poked his head around the crates we were hiding behind. "Esmeralda, Clopin is calling for you."

"Tell him I'll be there in a moment," Esmeralda replied. When the lad was gone, she continued. "Trust in them, and they will trust you. Farewell, children." She ruffled Tsura's hair and stroked my nose before rushing back into the chaos of the festival, Djali right behind her.

I watched them go, thinking to myself of how the world needed more kind-hearted people like Esmeralda.


End file.
